Okereke has written a lengthy blog post for The Guardian in which he discusses the difficulties faced by pop stars who feel overshadowed by a more successful friend or sibling. The post was inspired by a new Kelly Rowland track in which she apparently references her own feelings of inadequacy next to superstar Destiny’s Child bandmate Beyonce.

Explaining where his own feelings of jealousy stemmed from, Okereke writes: “I remember in 2004 when my band Bloc Party were preparing to put out our first record, ‘Silent Alarm’, we were touring, meeting lots of bands who were slated to release albums in 2005. I remember really getting on with the Kaiser Chiefs, they were funny and charming. They reminded me of a ‘Parklife’-era Blur meets Super Furry Animals and, although the music wasn’t my thing, we became friends.”

Continuing, Okereke recalls watching the Kaisers’ rise with envy. “They ascended into pop superstardom with their million-selling ‘Employment album’ and a volley of truly remarkable singles. While we couldn’t get a single on the radio, these guys seemed to be all over it,” he writes.

However, Okereke also reveals that he turned the situation to his band’s advantage, adding: “I couldn’t help but feel envious but I let those feelings motivate me. We wrote ‘Two More Years’, a song about longing in the face of frustration. It went on to become our biggest radio hit and it opened many doors.”

Last month (May), Okereke’s Bloc Party bandmate Russell Lissack revealed that the band have been back in the studio recording six new songs and could release an EP this summer. The band are due to perform at Isle Of Wight Festival next weekend (June 15) and will also headline Latitude Festival on July 19.